Cats need care, too!

Cats are more popular pets than dogs; however they visit the vet a lot less often, according to a study done last year by the American Veterinary Medical Association.  Some statistics I have read estimate they see the vet half as often as dogs.  Cats do, in fact, require regular veterinary visits.  Our feline friends have a tendency to hide their illnesses and subtle signs that they are sick tend to go unnoticed by owners for a long time.  It seems that people get cats because they are perceived to be a lower-maintenance pet than dogs.  This is true and the cat’s independence is part of their charm.  However, we also find ourselves paying less attention to their day to day routines such as appetite, water consumption, and litter box habits.  In addition, cats are often less stoic than dogs and are certainly less apt to complain when they aren’t feeling well.  They usually become more reclusive.  Cats very frequently show signs of illness that are very nonspecific when compared to dogs.  Cats might lose a pound of body weight and although that does not seem like a lot, the average ten pound cat that loses one pound has just lost 10% of their body weight.  That does seem like a lot (it is!).  Due to the fact that cats often have subtle and non-specific symptoms, veterinarians often need to do more diagnostics such as lab work and X-rays.  Dogs, in comparison, will often give the vet more clues as to what is wrong and what to look for.  It’s frustrating, but true.

Perhaps the tendency to take the cat to the vet less often has stemmed from the fact that our focus in veterinary medicine has gotten away from the importance of annual vaccinations.  In fact, many cats do not require annual vaccinations and we are tailoring vaccine recommendations now based on the cat’s lifestyle.  However, just because they may not need a vaccine is not a reason to leave them home from their annual or bi-annual examination.  Regularly scheduled veterinary visits offer your veterinarian the chance to proactively treat your pet and also keep tabs on their weight, nutritional condition, and overall health.  Early detection of disease allows veterinarians to fight, control, and treat many diseases such as diabetes, which are treatable when caught early. 

How does one actually get the cat to vet when they really don’t appreciate traveling at all?  Well, there are some good things to do in planning ahead.  One big one is to get the carrier out a day or two ahead of time if you can.  Put the carrier in the area where the cat spends most of his/her time so that he/she can become accustomed to it.  Put treats in the carrier every now and then which they will find when they explore the carrier.  You can even put the food in the carrier with the door left open.  This will help get the cat accustomed to walking into the carrier willingly and make it a less scary place when the door is closed.  You can also practice putting the cat into the carrier.  There are several methods.  They include 1. Free will walking in – the cat is trained to willingly walk into the carrier for a treat, 2. Scooping them in – the cat allows us to hold them by the chest and rear legs and feed them into the carrier face first, 3. Backing them in – the cat allows us to put them in the carrier rear end first (it helps to hold both rear legs in your palm and press them to the cat’s abdomen), 4. Removing the top and setting them in – the cat can be placed in the carrier with the top removed, then replace the top and door once they are in, and 5. Standing the carrier up – the cat is held by the shoulders and allowed to extend their back – the rear legs are placed in first and the cat is lowered into the carrier while it is sitting upright.  Once the cat is in the box, the next step is habituation to the car – short trips are best.  Take the cat around the block, and then back home for a snack or dinner.  Eventually, if you practice this on a regular basis – the frequency depends on how upset your kitty is, they will habituate to the car and the trip to the vet won’t be as strenuous.  Finally at the vet, hopefully it can be arranged that there will be minimal fear-factor.  An extended appointment in which the examination is not rushed if it doesn’t have to be, willingness of the vet to sedate your pet if anxiety is a big issue, and hopefully minimal to no dog interactions during the visit will ensure the experience is as good as possible for your cat.

If your cat has not seen a vet in the past year, please call to schedule his or her appointment today.  A wellness exam will help provide peace of mind for you that your beloved friend is feeling as well as you suppose he/she is.

Please look at the healthy cats website at: http://www.healthycatsforlife.com/

Back Pain In Dogs

I wanted to share some information with you about Intervertebral Disk Disease in dogs.  The disease can occur in cats, but it is more common in dogs.  I recently attended a lecture on this topic and wanted to summarize some key points for you.  First, this disease is most common in dog breeds that have long backs.  Namely, Daschshunds but also Beagles, Corgis, Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, and others.  These breeds have a genetic predisposition to developing disk herniation, but it can also occur after trauma such as a car accident.  Disk herniation is literally movement of the intervertebral disk into the space normally occupied by the spinal cord.  The disk normally serves as a  cushion between the vertebrae, but it can move upwards and impinge on the spinal cord with this disease.  When the disk herniates in the mid to lower back it can cause paralysis and/or the inability to properly urinate and defecate.  If the disk herniates in the neck, it can cause neck pain, lameness in a front leg, or even paralysis of all four limbs.  The herniation can occur suddenly, or can happen slowly over a long period of time.  Definitive diagnosis frequently requires specialized imaging.

The key point to remember is that if your dog is experiencing neck or back pain, this can be a significant medical problem.  Furthermore, if your pet is losing the ability to move his or her legs or is paralyzed, this is a medical emergency.  This condition is one of the few that I have experienced dogs' vocalizing in pain.  Besides vocalization, dogs will demonstrate pain when certain spots on the back or neck are touched, they sometimes cannot feel sensations such as pinching of the toes, and they can experience wobbling of the limbs, crossing the feet, or the inability to stand.  With paralysis comes the question of whether or not to move forward with back surgery.  This can be an expensive proposition and the cost alone is frequently the determining factor in the pet's treatment.  If you are worried about this disease or suspect that your dog may be predisposed, please consider purchasing a pet insurance policy.  I have met many beloved family pets who's treatment decision would have been different if an insurance policy had been in place.  Keep in mind that your vet will work with any pet insurance company you choose.  Please ask your vet if you would like to learn more.

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

Winterize your outdoor cat!

I have been thinking recently of things that often get missed.  This discussion on feline preventative medicine is long overdue.  I mentioned to a group recently that they should not forget to "winterize" their outdoor cats and they got a chuckle out of that.  Let me explain what I meant.  I am talking to two different types of people - they are cat owners and cat caretakers.  There are many people who care for outdoor cats who are reluctant to take that final step and admit they are the primary caretaker for the cat.  There are plenty of neighborhood cats that fit this picture - they are outdoors all year round and several people share the responsibility of feeding them.  However, there is usually one person to whom that responsibility primarily falls and this is the person that is actually the owner of the cat, whether they would like to admit it, or not.  So face it, you own a cat.  Now read on to see how to better care for that cat.  I know you care - you keep feeding it!  

Cats that are outdoors for ANY length of time during the day should be protected against all they face while they are outside.  First there are parasites.  External parasites include fleas, lice, and mites.  Internal parasites include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, heartworms, and coccidia.  Next there are viruses such as Panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, leukemia, FIV, and rabies.  Finally there are opportunistic bacteria that can attack the skin, respiratory tract, digestive tract, wounds, etc.  It only took four lines of text, but that is a lot of stuff these cats are faced with.  Keep in mind that indoor cats have susceptibility to a lot of these things as well.  Add to this the fact that outdoor cats have to avoid cars, keep warm, deal with fighting, watch out for predators, and still get their daily meals, find a spot to rest, and monitor their territory.  There is a lot to keep them busy.

Winterize your cat: be sure to deworm, get vaccinations updated, and test for FeLV (leukemia), FIV, and heartworm disease.  Put prevention on your cat to keep them safe from fleas.  I like Revolution and Profender, but there are other products that you can use.  If you use Revolution and Profender, you can protect against heartworms, fleas, hookworms, roundworms, and ear mites.  You can kill existing roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.  These products cover a lot of ground!  See you vet to discuss the situation with the cat for the upcoming months.  Remember that fleas are at their worst RIGHT NOW and fleas transmit tapeworms.  Get your cat tested for the common transmissible viruses and update vaccinations regularly.  These cats are in need of your support - provide more than just kibble for them to eat - keep them safe from all they face on a daily basis.  Thank you for caring!

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com